1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a
medium-size bowl.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon,
ginger, cloves and egg in a large bowl until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture.
Divide dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap;
freeze 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking
sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Place lollipop sticks, 3 inches apart, on
prepared baking sheets.
4. On a floured surface, with a floured rolling
pin, roll out dough until 1/4-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 4-inch cutter or
1-pound coffee can. Reroll scraps. Press cookies onto top third of sticks, like
a lollipop.
5. Bake in heated 350 degrees F oven 10 minutes
or until lightly browned around edges. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire
racks 5 minutes. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.
6. Stir extra water into icing, drop by drop, to
create a good flowing consistency. Divide into batches; tint with different
colors. Decorate cookies as shown or as desired. Let dry.
Royal Icing
In a medium-size bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons meringue powder to egg
white powder and 6 tablespoon water. Beat in 4 cups confectioner' sugar (a
1-pound box); continue beating until peaks form, about 10 minutes. Press
plastic wrap directly onto surface of icing and keep covered until ready
to use. Makes 3 cups.Note:
Meringue powder and egg white powder are available in select supermarkets,
gourmet shops, and health-food stores. Because of health concerns about
eating raw eggs, be sure to use either meringue powder or egg white powder
for the uncooked icing. |
Icing Know-how For best
results, follow these tips:
+ Paste
food colors will tint icing the richest, deepest hues. use a clean wooden
pick to dip into color, then into icing. Stir to mix.
+ When
glazing and piping, divide the icing. To make a glaze suitable for a base
coat, thin one portion slightly with water, a drop at a time, until its
consistency is that of sour cream. For piping, leave the other portion
thicker so it holds a line or shape.
+ Use a
fine-tipped paintbrush to apply a base coat of the thinner icing. let it
dry thoroughly. then, to decorate, use a pasty bag fitted with a writing
tip to pipe on the thicker icing. |
From Family Circle's All Time
Favorite Recipes (Doubleday; September, 1999)
